Entries in osteopenia
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One in two women and one in four men over 50 are expected to experience a fracture from osteoporosis in their lives. These stats can be a wake-up call to those middle-aged and older. Yet did you know that osteoporosis can occur at any age? We reach our peak bone mass in our early 30s, making prevention of bone loss a relevant topic for younger people as well. May is National Osteoporosis Awareness & Prevention Month—a good time for everyone to pay attention to bone health.

You can help raise awareness on the importance of bone health by starting with your clients. If they’re doing Pilates, they’ve got a great start on a healthy lifestyle, which is key to building and preserving bone strength. Here are my top 5 important tips for bone health:

How a young instructor found safe techniques to challenge herself and her clientsBy Rebekah Rotstein

People who first meet me find it odd that as a Pilates instructor I actually don’t do Pilates mat for my own body. In fact, ever since my osteoporosis diagnosis two years ago at the unusually young age of 28, the annual PMA conference is the only time I participate in a traditional mat class. Flexion, lateral flexion (side bending) and rotation of the spine are contraindicated for people with osteoporosis and osteopenia (the precursor to osteoporosis, which should be treated in the same manner from a movement perspective). Unfortunately, this rules out three-quarters of the Pilates mat exercises. So I’m often asked with disbelief how it is that I can actually work my abs.